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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29189589">Can't Lose You, Too</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mezzybaby/pseuds/Mezzybaby'>Mezzybaby</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Daughter Relationship, For a Friend, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, oc isn't mine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:27:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,067</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29189589</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mezzybaby/pseuds/Mezzybaby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mondo has never told Ayako, him and Taka's daughter, why she never got to meet her Uncle Daiya. He knows that one day he'll have to, and that day is today.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ishimaru Kiyotaka/Oowada Mondo, ishimaru kiyotaka &amp; daughter, mondo owada &amp; daughter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Can't Lose You, Too</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaicravessugar/gifts">kaicravessugar</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Mondo and Taka's bean was not created by me, but was instead created by the lovely kaicravessugarr. Go check him out after this!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Dad! Dad, you gotta see this! Wake up!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mondo groaned as he was shaken by the shoulder. “Five more minutes, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, I gotta show you before I forget how I did it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With an exaggerated sigh, he sat up from his spot on the couch. A book slid off of his chest and he quickly caught it with the page open.  He pulled back his hair and looked up to see his daughter, Ayako, standing over him and grinning from ear to ear. She had both hands balled into a fist, a motorcycle helmet tucked under one arm, and she was bobbing around with excitement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You gotta come outside,” she said, then looked down at the book in his hand, “Is that the family photo album?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I guess I fell asleep while lookin’ at it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat down next to him and pointed to a photo of two young kids on a couch smiling towards the camera. “Is that you and Uncle Daiya?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, back when I was like four, I think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s weird seeing you with all black hair. Makes you look more like your brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I dyed it so people would stop getting us confused.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did your mom freak out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She was actually impressed with how well it turned out, until she realized that Daiya had accidentally dyed one of my eyebrows.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, I could see you pullin’ off one brown eyebrow,” she said as she looked up at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chuckled. “I would never hear the end of it from your Papa. Wait, didn’t you have something to show me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right!” she said as she stood up and waved him to the front door, “I finally learned a new trick on my bike, and I think you’re gonna be impressed!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a smile, he stood and closed the book. He pulled his hair into a messy man bun before following her out the door and into the driveway. He remembered being just as excited about mastering his ride many years ago and it filled him with pride to see the same ambitious drive in his daughter. No, an even more ambitious drive. She was also Taka’s kid, afterall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She led him to her motorcycle (he was still surprised by how clean and new looking it was after a few months of hard use) and turned back towards him. “I think I finally figured out how to do a wheelie, and not just a quick one wheel off the ground, no, an actual wheelie!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, then quit yappin’ and show me,” he said as he looked down….up at her. He kept forgetting that she was taller than him now by a few inches. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her brows furrowed in focused determination before she nodded and hopped onto her bike. She strapped on her helmet and revved the engine before taking off into the street. She rode far down one road, passing a four-way, before making a U-turn and riding back. Right as she passed the house, she leaned backwards and the front wheel raised off the ground. The bike was pointed almost diagonally and while she was a bit wobbly, she kept it raised for at least a yard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s my girl!” Mondo cheered once she rode back around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Another motorcycle lesson?” he heard Taka say from the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Naw, she learned this one on her own,” Mondo said as he turned around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Papa, you gotta see it, too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you finished your homework, yet?” Taka said as he crossed his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I finished before I got home,” Ayako said as if it should’ve been obvious, “And I’ve already done some studying.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, then let’s see it,” Taka said as he stood by Mondo, “But be careful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m always careful!” she shouted back as she rode back down the street.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s about as careful as you are,” Taka mumbled to Mondo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, come on, she’s wearing a helmet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Correction, then. She’s slightly more careful then you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mondo playfully nudged Taka before wrapping an arm around his shoulders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ayako came speeding down the street again and popped a wheelie right as she was passing the four way at the corner. At the same time, a car came speeding down the street perpendicular to the one she was riding on. The car screeched and swerved to at the same time that she dropped her front wheel to the ground. She lost her balance, fell beside the car, and out of their view. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was running towards the accident before he realized what he was doing and Taka was right behind him, yelling their daughter’s name. His legs felt like lead and it seemed to take forever to get to Ayako. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But when they got to the car, she was standing and brushing the gravel off of her Crazy Diamond’s jacket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taka wasted no time and began checking her for any injuries. “ARE YOU OKAY?! ANYTHING BROKEN?! ARE YOU DIZZY?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Papa, I’m okay, I just scraped my hand and hit my back a little,” she said as she moved her curls from her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my gosh,” the driver said as he got out of the car, “I- s-she just came out of nowhere! I’m so sor-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anxiety melted into anger as Mondo grabbed the guy by the collar and slammed him onto the hood of his car. “WHAT’S YOUR FUCKIN’ PROBLEM, DUMBASS?! YOU COULD’VE KILLED HER!!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad, I’m fine!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mondo, let him go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I’m sorry!” the driver said as he tried to pry Mondo’s hand off of him, “I’m late for work and I wasn’t paying attention-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“YOU THINK THAT’S A GOOD FUCKIN’ EXCUSE?! I SHOULD MAKE YOU EAT THE CONCRETE! MAYBE THEN YOU’LL REMEMBER TO PAY SOME GODDAMN ATTENTION-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enough, let him go!” Taka said firmly as he pushed himself in front of Mondo and pushed him back, “He didn’t mean to hurt her. It was reckless on both of their parts-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mondo was hardly listening. He was hardly there. His hands were in tight fists and he wanted nothing more than to ram them into the driver’s teeth. Had either Ayako or the driver stopped a moment later, she might not be standing now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Babe,” he suddenly heard Taka say. He looked him in the eyes and instead of the stern look from before, he saw a look of understanding, the same look Taka gave him whenever he heard him bare his soul or went with him to therapy. “It’s okay. She’s okay. Take her back inside. I’ll take care of things out here, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t move. He didn’t want to move. The driver was still leaning against the hood, hands still raised defensively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look at me,” Taka said quietly as he placed a hand on the middle of his husband’s chest. “Breath. Stay in the present. She’s okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, his breathing became more relaxed and he forced his fingers to uncurl. “Come on, Ayako,” he said as he motioned for his daughter to follow him. She sat her bike upright and wheeled it beside her as they walked home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t have to threaten him,” she said when they were in the driveway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He almost ran you over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We both stopped and I bumped into the side of the car. We were both speeding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He silently helped her put her bike in the garage next to his. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You scared the crap out of that guy. Don’t you think you should apologize?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He needed the shit scared out of him,” he said as he closed the garage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad, I’ve been in worse accidents. I mean, this one, for example,” she said as she pointed to the horizontal scar going across her nose, “I got this when I was six! And you were the one calming Papa down, then. I’m sixteen now! You don’t have to freak out every time I fall off of my bike.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me see your hand,” he said as he held out his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She frowned, but placed her injured hand in his. She was bleeding, but it wouldn’t require a hospital visit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just needs to be cleaned and bandaged. Head to the bathroom and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know what to do,” she said as she pulled her hand away and headed for the bathroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, don’t walk away from me,” he called after her, “What’s gotten into you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s gotten into me?!” she said as she suddenly spun around, “I’ve never seen you yell at someone like that so suddenly and you’re wondering what’s up with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was protecting you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The guy wasn’t trying to hurt me, it was an accident! Bikers get into accidents and scraps all the time. You’ve told me multiple stories about you and your brother falling off of your bikes and none of them involved Uncle Daiya freaking out over a little scratch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He winced a little at the mention of Daiya. “It could’ve ended badly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a risk that comes with a bike! Did you ever do this with Uncle Daiya? Flip out and yell whenever he got hurt on a bike?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mondo felt his shoulders stiffen. “Once. Just once,” he said through his teeth, “Go get cleaned up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still looking angry, she marched to the bathroom and slammed the door shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Taka finally made it back into the house an hour later, he could already tell that there was some tension. He could hear power tools going outside, which meant that Mondo was working in the backyard to blow off steam, and when he looked down the hallway towards Ayako’s room, there was a handwritten DO NOT DISTURB sign taped to her door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slid the back door open and stepped out onto the deck. Mondo was leaning over a saw and cutting wood, probably trying to block a lot of things out. Taka politely waited until he was done sawing and noticed him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’d it go?” Mondo asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The dent in the car’s passenger door was very minor. The driver was very remorseful and offered to pay for any medical expenses. I assured him that it wasn’t that severe and just lectured him on proper road safety. He was also kind enough to not press charges for assault.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mondo set the saw down on his work table and let out a deep sigh. “I’m sorry, I overreacted. Now Ayako thinks I’m tryin’ to suddenly baby her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She doesn’t know what happened,” Taka said gently, “She doesn’t know why you panicked.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shouldn't of even panicked, she was fine.” He leaned up against the house and folded his arms. “She is fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you’re not,” Taka said as he wrapped his arms around him, “It’s been a while since I’ve heard you yell like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know, I overreacted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not what I mean. It reminded you of….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“....Daiya….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“....I know you have your reasons for not telling her, but maybe you should. It would help her understand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe we could get her to stop riding her bike.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you really want to tell the daughter of the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader to stop riding her motorcycle?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mondo chuckled and wrapped his arms around his man. “I guess that’s like askin’ me to stop riding mine. I know….I should tell her. I should’ve told her before it got this hard to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taka rested his head on his chest and could hear his husband’s heart beating rapidly. “I’ll be there, if you want me to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And she’s our daughter. We’ve raised her with all of our hearts. So she knows yours. She won’t judge you as harshly as you think she will.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe your side of her won’t…..But I get what you mean. Fuck, okay, okay, I’ll….I’ll tell her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t have to be tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It should be tonight. I want her to know why I reacted the way I did.” He stood from the wall. “Is she in her room?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but the sign is up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did I piss her off that much?” Mondo asked as they went inside and headed for Ayako’s bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure she’s had some time to cool down,” Taka said as he knocked on the door, “Ayako? Sweetheart, can we talk to you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a few seconds of silence before slow footsteps approached the door. She opened the door and looked at the ground. “I’m sorry I yelled at you, Dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’m sorry that I yelled at you, kiddo,” Mondo said, “You busy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, just writing angry poetry,” she said as she finally looked up at them, “Are we gonna talk about what happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah….” Mondo said with another long sigh. Taka felt Mondo’s hand reach down to grab his and he held it tight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all sat on the couch, Taka and Ayako sitting on either side of Mondo. Taka was still holding his hand and Ayako sat turned towards them. She looked a little confused, probably because they had been sitting in silence for the last minute or so. He hoped he looked calmer than he felt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let out another sigh to calm himself before saying, “I overreacted earlier. I should’ve never put my hands on that guy. I panicked and I let that get the best of me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I don’t understand why you did,” she said, “I guess I expected you to be a little mad at the guy, but not threaten him like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“....Me and your uncle fell off of our bikes and got hurt a lot. But the worst one….seeing you nearly get hit reminded me of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” she asked, her voice quieter and softer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me and him were racing. I was….trying to prove myself and I was being reckless. Drove into oncoming traffic on the highway. There was a truck that I didn’t see comin’ and….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ayako inhaled sharply. “Dang, it’s a miracle you survived that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not….” His voice faltered and he shut his eyes. “....I wasn’t the one who got hit….Daiya pushed me out of the way and took the hit himself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room fell silent for a few seconds. And then Ayako asked, “That’s how Uncle Daiya died?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mondo nodded. “He died saving me. And I’ve lived with that memory in my head ever since. But having you two in my life,” he said as he opened his eyes and held both Taka and Ayako’s hands, “Has made it easier to cope with. Ayako, you are one of the best things in my life and you’ll always be my little girl, no matter how old you get. The thought of you being taken away from me like Daiya was scares….the absolute hell out of me.” He blinked away tears and looked at his daughter, who appeared to be dealing with tears of her own. “I know that’s weird to hear, comin’ from the one who put you on a bike in the first place, but it does.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ayako wiped her eyes before holding onto Mondo’s hand with both of hers, one wrapped in a bandage. “But Dad, you don’t have to worry like that. I’m careful and I’ll keep myself safe, just like you taught me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> taught you,” he repeated almost mockingly, earning a concerned look from Ayako. He felt Taka touch his shoulder, a reminder to stay in the present and remember how far he’s come. “I did teach you,” he said more sincerely, “But things happen sometimes that are completely out of our control. Me and your Papa can’t be there to protect you as much as we want to. That doesn’t mean we’re gonna baby you and I don’t want to. You’re more than capable of holding your own in most situations. Just know that there’ll be times where I might lose my cool and overreact and it isn’t because I don’t trust you to take care of yourself. I’ve just lost a lot of the people I love, so I cling too tightly to the people I still have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ayako nodded, then looked at the couch, the ground, the wall, anywhere besides at him. It was probably alarming to her to see her dad this close to tears. “But,” she started, then leaned forward, “I don’t know, it feels like there’s something else you aren’t telling me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raised a brow, genuinely confused. “Like what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What you said before, ‘Like </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>taught you’,” she said with the same mocking tone that he had used, “It sounds like you’re being harder on yourself than on me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s one of the things I have to work on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She furrowed her brow in confusion again. He couldn’t help but to smile at how much that expression reminded him of a younger Taka. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess there’s more to the story. I blamed….I do blame myself for your uncle’s death.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you didn’t-!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I know. I’ve been told several times that it wasn’t my fault. But it’s hard to believe anything else when I’ve been thinkin’ it for years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that changes now!” she said with the same ambitious drive she had earlier, “I’ll remind you everyday forever so that you won’t have a chance to blame yourself anymore!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I appreciate that, kiddo, but this isn’t something you should have to worry about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She lunged forward and threw her arms around him in a hug. “But you’re my dad,” her voice muffled and shaky, “As much as you worry about me, I’m gonna worry about you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wrapped both arms around her. “I guess you were right, Kiyo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“About what?” Ayako asked as she raised her head to look at Taka.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your dad thought you would think of him negatively if he told you this story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would I?!” she said as she threw herself into an even tighter hug, “I could never judge you so harshly, daughter’s promise! You both are the best dads in the world.” She held one arm out to Taka and made grabby hands in his direction. “I love you guys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taka understood and hugged them both. “I love you both so much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mondo tried to speak, but words wouldn’t come out. Not because he couldn’t find any, but because he was too happy to speak them without crying. He moved his arms to where they were around both his daughter and his husband and he held them close, wishing to never let them go.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, this story is not entirely my own, as I've tried to make clear. Me and Kai are in a discord server together and he introduced us to Ayako while we were gushing over ishimondo, as we do on a daily basis. The more I heard about Ayako and her relationship with her dads, the more I wanted to write something about her. When it was revealed that Mondo would eventually have to do the hard task of telling her about what happened to Daiya, I knew that I wanted to write that story. And Kai allowed me to! I rarely get to write for other people and while it is a challenge because I'm going off of someone else's materials, it is fun. Also, he didn't know how the story would go, he only knew about the main gist, so I hope you like it Kai! And I hope I did Ayako justice.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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